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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26984530">The Sun, The Birds, The Breeze</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarecrowstories/pseuds/scarecrowstories'>scarecrowstories</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Kissing, Light Angst, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Set in Episodes 159-160 | Scottish Safehouse Period (The Magnus Archives), Sleepy Cuddles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:41:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26984530</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarecrowstories/pseuds/scarecrowstories</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The first morning waking up together in the safehouse. A life of terror behind them, a life of hope ahead. What does fear matter in the face of love?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>81</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Sun, The Birds, The Breeze</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm depressed af. You're probably also depressed af. It's October 2020. Not much good is happening. So in an effort to Be The Good, I wanted to give you some fluff. The world is pure shit right now. These boys deserved more happiness than they've got and I aim to give it to them. And to you, too.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the sound of birds singing at his window that woke Jon that morning. How long had it been since he’d had such a peaceful wakening? The sun streaming through the window tingled on his skin, a weight so gentle and warm that he wanted to wrap himself in it forever to cling to that feeling of being profoundly alive. He took a deep breath, feeling the energy of that sunshine fill his lungs with a levity he no longer thought himself capable of. </p>
<p>“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” Martin whispered from beside him, startling him the rest of the way from sleep. Martin chuckled, hand on Jon’s hip tensing momentarily. “Oh, sorry!”</p>
<p>“Good morning!” Jon said, incredulous, as he rolled over to face Martin - beautiful, sleepstruck, starry-eyed. He’d almost forgotten where they were, what they’d done. The frantic packing of their suitcases followed by the stiff and silent train ride, hands clasped in desperation. He placed a palm against Martin’s cheek, thumb rubbing lightly over his slight stubble. “Good morning,” he said again, softer, his heart full of a quiet anticipation. “Did you sleep well?”</p>
<p>Martin leaned his face into Jon’s touch, eyes hazy as he sighed. “Fantastic, yeah. You?”</p>
<p>“Best I’ve slept in a long time,” he admitted. A few moments passed where they simply looked at one another with wistful smiles, Martin’s arms circling Jon’s waist to pull him closer. Jon let himself be pulled against Martin’s body more fully, basking in how right it felt to enclose himself in his warmth.</p>
<p>“Can we stay like this for a bit?” Martin asked, shy. “Er, it’s just, you know, I’ve missed sharing a bed with someone I love. I don’t want it to end just yet.”</p>
<p>Jon leaned in and kissed Martin, chaste and sweet. “Who says it has to end? I-I know we can’t run forever, but I’m not going back there. Ever.” Another kiss, the gentle press of their lips tingling brighter than the sun. Jon couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so human, so free. “We can stay together here for as long as it’s safe, and find another safehouse when it isn’t.” He paused; the next words he wanted to say were difficult. “It’s not exactly a normal life, but I’m afraid it’s the best I can offer. I’m sorry that it isn’t more, but it’s better than being part of anything Elias is planning.”</p>
<p>At that, Martin laughed, a deep rumbling laugh in his chest that vibrated against Jon’s, warming him to his core. “Come on, you can’t actually expect I’ll say no to that. I-- okay, I know I’m not good at this, so bear with me -- I love you, Jon. I’ve loved you so, so much for so long. And it’s never been about what you can ‘offer’ me or whatever. It’s about You. It’s always been you.” He closed his eyes and turned his face enough to kiss the palm of Jon’s hand, still resting on his cheek.</p>
<p>Blushing, Jon couldn’t hold back the grin that split his face at hearing those words. “Sap,” he teased affectionately. “I love you, too. It’s nice to finally say; it sounds so right. I love you.” When he repeated the phrase he spoke it with deliberation, savoring the shape of the words and how the sounds felt as they left his mouth. “I don’t know when it started. Probably one of those days you dragged me out of the office for lunch, insisting that I needed a real meal.” He pretended to scoff, rolling his eyes for show as if either action could hide the adoration glowing in every ounce of his expression.</p>
<p>Martin played along; a few years ago he might not have recognized that this was Jon’s way of joking with him, but he knew better now. “Right, because it was just so horrible of me to care about your health and wellbeing. What was I thinking? Head Archivist Jonathan Sims, master of self care, doesn’t need his lowly assistants worrying after him, of course not.” He tapped the tip of Jon’s nose with an index finger, barely suppressing a giggle at the indignant huff that resulted. “I couldn’t tell you when I realized either, to be fair. But I did definitely think you were cute from the moment I saw you,” he admitted, hugging Jon tighter. “I’m okay with being a sap, I think. Plenty of worse things to be. Besides, you’re worth it.”</p>
<p>Basking in the moment, Jon and Martin fell silent for several minutes. The sun continued to warm their blush-stained faces, birds singing their morning songs. The breeze was fresh, so much fresher than the basement of the stale and dusty archives. It was peaceful in a way neither man had known in far too long. Occasionally they shifted for comfort, Jon tucking his head under Martin’s chin to rest against his chest while Martin wrapped his arms more fully around Jon.</p>
<p>Jon let his mind wander for a moment, a luxury he had long since stopped indulging in, before anxiety returned with a snap. What if his idle thoughts caused his guard to drop too far, and more undesired knowledge leaked in? What if he ruined this sacred moment of bliss by Knowing something about Martin that he didn’t want him to know? How could he justify letting his vigilance waver even for a second?</p>
<p>“You okay? You tensed up, did I touch somewhere you don’t like?” Martin pulled his hands back, worry creasing his brow.</p>
<p>It took Jon a beat to connect his and Martin’s actions. “What? No, no, sorry, no, you did nothing wrong at all,” he assured, carefully reaching for Martin’s hand to lace their fingers together. “No, this is wonderful, I just--” A sighing pause. “I was afraid I was going to ruin it,” he breathed, barely above a whisper as he avoided meeting Martin’s gaze.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ruin it? How?”</p>
<p>Oh, how to word it in the least upsetting way, Jon thought. What could he possibly say that wouldn’t worry Martin? Or worse: hurt him? After brief consideration, he chose his words carefully. “Sometimes if I’m not focused on keeping myself, well, er, Myself, I-I, it’s…” A frustrated exhale; a shuddering inhale. “I don’t want to get swept away by it all. It’s so much. Always there at the edges, a pounding rhythm demanding I open the door and let it in, but I-I don’t want to!” Softer, now. “I don’t want to. And it scares me.”</p>
<p>“Jon, I…” Martin started, opening and closing his mouth a few times, uncertain what to say next. He settled on lifting Jon’s face up, a warm hand cupping his cheek to guide their eyes together. “I’m here. And you’re not going to ruin anything, okay? All we can do is our best, and we’re gonna do it together.” He gave a shaky smile, blush returning in an instant. “You aren’t alone, Jon. Never again, okay? I’ve got you.”</p>
<p>With a fond chuckle, Jon sunk back into Martin’s embrace. “And to think it was just the other day I pulled you out of the Lonely, and yet here you are reassuring me.” He peeked up through his eyelashes, warmth suffusing his chest. “You’re a remarkable man. I don’t think anyone has told you that nearly enough.”</p>
<p>“Wonder where you get that idea,” Martin mumbled.</p>
<p>“I’m serious,” Jon insisted, “I don’t know what’s going to happen to us here, but I do know that there’s nobody else I’d rather see it with.” Burrowing further into the blankets and Martin’s embrace, Jon breathed, “So for now, I’d like to just enjoy passing a slow morning in bed with you. Like a normal couple sleeping in on a normal weekend.” He paused while they adjusted to be more fully covered by the blankets before a gentle smile settled on his face. “Y’know, I didn’t date much in university. I’ve never actually had a boyfriend before.”</p>
<p>Martin’s shoulders shook as he giggled. “It sounds so silly coming from you! ‘Boyfriend,” like we’re sixteen or something.” Beaming, Martin pressed a soft kiss to Jon’s forehead. “But it also sounds nice. I never dated much either, so it’s been a bit.” All trace of joy left his voice, eyes dimming as he cast his gaze downward, suddenly serious. “Before working for Peter I was always worrying over mum, when she was still alive. Even if I hadn’t been completely infatuated with you, I-I just, y’know, didn’t have time? A-and anyway, it was easier being alone. Any number of excuses, really.”</p>
<p>Nodding, Jon let the conversation end there, picking up on Martin’s discomfort with how fidgety his feet were getting. He wanted to tell Martin about the couple of one-night stands he’d engaged in, desperate attempts to figure out what part of him was too broken to feel attraction “correctly.” Or about the one abusive girlfriend he’d had before Georgie, or even about his time dating Georgie. There was so much he could say that he chose to say none of it for now. There would be time later to find the right words, and he knew that Martin wouldn’t rush him.</p>
<p>For now, they could hold one another and be at peace. They could drink in the long minutes of calm that they’d fought so hard for - truly a just reward for all the trouble they’d seen. Here, in the safety of each other’s arms, they could focus on what really mattered: the gloriously uncharted future stretching before them, an infinite expanse of opportunity, all theirs for the taking. And perhaps their freedom was tenuous, and perhaps it was temporary, but it was Here and it was Now.</p>
<p>The wind kept blowing. The birds kept singing. The sun kept shining. </p>
<p>A better life is always possible.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I won't give up hope that the whole story can still end in a way that lets them have the Potential to recover, right up until the end of it when I'm tragically and inevitably proven wrong. Until then, a better life IS possible for them. And anyway, we're still here, so at the very least a better life is possible for all of Us.</p>
<p>I hope you have a wonderful day. Stay safe, be well, and take heart - it's not the end just yet.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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